“The court discourages requests to postpone court events.”  — Family Law Manual, Circuit Court for Howard County, Maryland  

It is the policy for the court to provide timely justice for the citizens of Maryland, so getting a postponement in your divorce case is not easy. All requests for postponements have to be by motion, in writing, and state good cause for postponement.

Not Good Cause

The court does not usually consider the following as a good cause for postponement:

• Counsel or parties agree to postpone.
• The case has not previously been postponed.
• Discovery has not been completed.
• A party wants to hire, or has hired, new counsel.
• Unavailability of a witness who has not been subpoenaed.
• Party or counsel is not prepared to try the case.
• Any postponement beyond a second trial date.

Good Causes for Postponement

• Sudden death or medical emergency.
• A party did not receive notice of a hearing date.
• Facts becoming apparent too late for correction that would create undue hardship or a miscarriage of justice.
• Unanticipated unavailability of a subpoenaed material witness.
• Illness or family emergency of counsel.